New Thing

I just wanted to say Hello to everyone on here and introduce myself. I signed up for school a week ago - I start in just under two weeks and just cracked the 'Study Guide' book tonight - Looking at all this technical stuff if making my brain woozy - I suppose that's normal for a start and I better keep disciplined to studying cause frankly - I think I can drive okay but all this mechanical stuff is scaring me a bit. Anyway, all I can do is work hard and hope for good results. Now I am currently now working and I'm bored out of my mind and Trucking seemed like the best fit for me since I tend to enjoy the company of myself for the most part - I hope that's a plus in this field. I wreaking if I just take this thing one step at a time and keep focused , maybe just maybe I might pass this test the first time around and one day land a first job. I decided to go to school at a college and got some nice Lady helping me out giving me all kinds of advice. I feel like if I pass all my tests- I'd want to go all in and work for a huge company going OTR to no end due to my being single again as of very recently. I feel real positive about taking steps towards my goal of Trucking and I hope it's worthwhile. I am not in it completely for the money - I love money but I really just want to get out there and be useful. So for now I just got to study before school starts so I can get an edge. Any advice or suggestions would be great - Oh I live in Illinois right now but I am thinking of moving to West Virginia cause I love to ride motorcycles - nothing tying me down here anymore for sure so why not live some.... Have a good one

Welcome to Trucking Truth, Alex.

Yes, OTR driving suits a loner well. Add for your studies, are you using the High Road Training Program as your "Study Guide"? It's not woozy -making at all, and if you stick with it you are all but guaranteed to ace the CDL test.

What school and/or company are you working with?

Welcome aboard mate! Tons of resources right here @ your fingertips. Errol is spot on about the High Road Training Program. I was miles ahead of my classmates & would recommend it to anyone interested in getting their CDL.

Welcome Alexander. It's a big first step, but you took it. Best of luck in school, stay focused and if you need extra help from the instructors, ask them. That's what they're there for.

Safe travels.

Welcome Alex.

As previous posters have noted - the High Road Training Program is probably the best tutorial/prep for passing CDL written tests going. Best part - it is STILL FREE (THANKS BRETT)!

It may seem daunting at first - especially if you haven't been around trucks.

Community College trucking schools - while typically, longer than most other schools - are also the least expensive option (aside from going the company training route - which ends up being FREE, if you stay with the company for the length of time they specify to "re-pay" your training).

Typically - most schools are going to require at least a CDL Learners Permit - which means taking/passing General Knowledge, Combination Vehicles, and (in most cases) Air Brakes.

Best of luck - keep us posted on your progress...

Rick

Thanks for the encouragement and thanks for showing me the online guide - I just peeked at it and it looks pretty good.

I believe anything can be accomplished one step at a time.

I also downloaded a couple of app's to my phone.

A great day to all and a Safe one.

By the way does anyone use 'handles' anymore Lol ? Can we talk to each other on the road like in the old days? haha

Hi Alexander D. Congrats on taking the step! I hope to be doing the same thing in six months.

DEFINITELY work your way through the High Road Training program; it's the best tool i've found. If you're taking the practice quizzes and reviews after every page, by the time you've read all the way through the program I guarantee the vast majority of the important information, technical info and statistics will have lodged firmly in your long term memory. After reading through it once i'm aceing every single free CDL practice quiz I can find on the internet: even the all endorsement quizzes. Stick to it and you won't have any problems. I'm going to go through it all at least once more before I get to school myself.

The only issue i'm having is trying to memorize and arrange in my head how to approach the Pre-Trip exam requirements. I'm a visual learner and i've never actually been on/around a semi-tractor before, so i'm struggling to remember all the parts because I have very little idea how to find and actually identify the engine components that need to be pointed out to an examiner. It's all fine saying "point out the water pump, PMS it and ABC/free play the belt" but how do I know what it looks like?/where it is? I'm hoping i'll know these things for sure once i'm at the school.

One of the mods here posted a visual guide to the Pre-Trip with photos that was amazingly helpful. I'll try to find it after I get back from work tonight (if someone else doesn't beat me to it.)

Good luck Alexander!

I think you mean this:

Daniel's Pre-Trip Inspection

Not sure if I'm replying right but why don't you go to a truck stop and see if you can't ask someone to view their Truck- just a thought

Hi Alexander D. Congrats on taking the step! I hope to be doing the same thing in six months.

DEFINITELY work your way through the High Road Training program; it's the best tool i've found. If you're taking the practice quizzes and reviews after every page, by the time you've read all the way through the program I guarantee the vast majority of the important information, technical info and statistics will have lodged firmly in your long term memory. After reading through it once i'm aceing every single free CDL practice quiz I can find on the internet: even the all endorsement quizzes. Stick to it and you won't have any problems. I'm going to go through it all at least once more before I get to school myself.

The only issue i'm having is trying to memorize and arrange in my head how to approach the Pre-Trip exam requirements. I'm a visual learner and i've never actually been on/around a semi-tractor before, so i'm struggling to remember all the parts because I have very little idea how to find and actually identify the engine components that need to be pointed out to an examiner. It's all fine saying "point out the water pump, PMS it and ABC/free play the belt" but how do I know what it looks like?/where it is? I'm hoping i'll know these things for sure once i'm at the school.

One of the mods here posted a visual guide to the Pre-Trip with photos that was amazingly helpful. I'll try to find it after I get back from work tonight (if someone else doesn't beat me to it.)

Good luck Alexander!

Alexander, When you get to school, they will show you the bits and pieces and then what you have learned textually will immediately make sense when you actually see the components. Granted, it is easier when you start out knowing what they look like, but we all start out with whatever knowledge we have and go from there. You will do fine. Just remember that you are in school to accomplish your dreams and the others will not be in on that objective. You will run into a number of different personalities when you get to school. Just realize that fact and align yourself with those who seem to be serious about being there to learn and don't have that "I've already been doing this for ****** (however long) and these guys are telling me a whole lot of bogus crap that just isn't even real. Yes, the schools will teach you what you need to pass the CDL test and then when you get to your employer, they will likely contradict some of what you were taught. That is just the difference between theory and what it takes to do the job in the real world. Just focus on what is expected of you at the time, school, or orientation at an employer, and learn what they ask you to learn...apply it in your evaluations (successful or not, often they are just looking to see that you are attempting to do it their way), and you will be fine. Mostly, any employer is looking to see if you were listening to what their expectations are and if you seem to be motivated to do your best to fulfill them. That employee is worth way more than a hundred of the "I know what I'm doing, leave me alone" guys that don't last very long anyway because they just don't know (because they didn't listen to begin with) what they are supposed to do, and don't really care about it anyway. I'm sure you've seen the type many times!

I had one of those types in my CDL class and he tried to bump heads with me often as I was there to learn and had no time for the loud, crass, back woods ignorant, disruptive B.S. that he thought was so cute and entertaining. He realized that I knew just what he was about and it ticked him off to no end as he realized as well that his crap didn't work on me. Hint: that is their major weakness; they cannot operate efficiently when they know that you are there knowing that their whole act is B.S.!!! It just drives them nuts and takes them completely off of their game. Also, this individual realized when he got to Stevens that they were NOT going to put up with his B.S.!! He got a haircut, changed his way of dressing, and put his mouth in NEUTRAL!!!!!! I have to give him credit for being at least that smart. Still a worthless piece of #$^% human being, but not totally ignorant!! Oh well, we will continue to observe, I have faith that he will still manage to step on his own di%k and get himself fired. But that is just my own opinion.

Wow, this went far beyond what I started off to say, but I stand behind it 100%.

DSTURBD